1st track day with 8611

[Your Mom]

If you've lived in the pacific nw, you know it rains alot. i was pretty certain it was gonna rain. But it didn't and in fact it was probably one of my best track days ever. cool no rain, little sun. This is at PIR portland internation raceway.

1st session - they gave me an instructor, they did pretty much everyone because of the new track and the weren't running the chicane. so first time out i'm real rusty, and the instructor wants me to go slow. 1st lap intercooler pipe pops off. how fitting, its a constant struggle, every track day. but it wasn't the usual spot so, fixed and back on. passed by an sti, which was pretty bad, i knew i was not doing well. instructor talked a good bit, so i concentrated on him and not the road as much.

2 session no instructor, did much better without him. passed that sti and a bunch of other things. the chicane on the front strait keeps speeds below 130ish. but without its scary fast. 240 speedo with HUD only goes to 125. i was doing 125 before the usual chicane turn. i know i was at least 135-140 range. scary fast. since there were 2 parts to the track that i've never ran on before my braking was much longer/safer. a shop from seattle was down UP Garage (every swap they do is so clean its dirty), owner doug has a little civic with a type r motor and charger on it. does 210 to the wheels. passed me every time he was out. crazy mf'er. I didn't break anything this session, didnt have to go in. nothing i just got to drive for the whole 20 min. it doesn't happen very often for me. It was so nice, so nice.

3rd session was almost the same, doug passing me. nothing broke and again i stayed on track for the whole 20 min. unheard of, so i'm just happy as can be. i started doing better with my brake zones and learning turn 7 (the new turn) and changing it up a bit. after the new turn you can really get going into the back strait. i was hitting 122 maybe faster before braking. hawk pads did real well, no lock ups but again i wasn't pushing it like i did last year (locking up, sideways, downshifting, sideways). e46 m3 passed me moving well, and had massive brakes. i stayed with him pretty much the whole time after that. he had a trackmate in the car and i asked him after what lap times he had and 1:28:8 was his best, so i know i'm right in that area.

4th was in an awesome pack, 380hp sti with r's, doug, z06. was doing awesome, driving real hard, getting my grove back. then i saw the rear window molding sitting on the back window. so i waited for the meatball and i got it. came in and they didn't want to let me out cause they thought my window was coming out. so they said to put my windows up and go. no complaints i just wanna drive. finished well, driving pretty hard but not locking up or scaring myself too much.

8611's are awesome, i've keep hearing noises come from the back on hard right and left high g turns. not sure what it is but really no issues. the track just got a brand new surface and theres really no bumps or weird dips. so really the 550's and 400s performed really well. no complaints. Kinda funny there was an S14 with an LSx swap, very sick. sounded awesome. asked me what i was using for suspension and i said 8611's, he seemed suprised cause he saw my d2 plates. i was just suprised someone else knew what i was talking about. anyway, i told him to stop here and check on the s14 housings for the 8611's.

overall just awesome track day perfect conditions, no major issues with the car. i love that i'm starting to enjoy the car i've been building for so long. lots of people were loving it too. lots of comments. makes it all worth it.

sorry if that was too long, i'm just real happy. :D

[e1_griego]

Glad to see you do something useful with that thing besides fixing broken AEM units :P

Yeah, the weather was peeeerfect yesterday to be out there.

Alex

[BigOdom1]

awesome, as far as the noise i guess its one of two things, either the springs squeaking, or the tires rubbing. describe the noise better.

good to know you like the setup

[Your Mom]

wasn't tires, more like metal being crunched. haha that sounds worse, it had to be the springs just sounded like they were being compressed but didn't want to be. noise came from the side that had all the weight on it. didn't feel an issue just, heard it. like ding dign ding as more weight was transfered. not worried just noted.

very funny alex, find a job yet?

[e1_griego]

Yup, gimme 2 to 3 weeks to start.

Oh, and I need one of those ka trannies, stat! I will be visiting you this week lol.

Alex

[Def]

Maybe coilbinding? Put a ziptie on one of the coils and if it's gone when you come back in to the pits, your spring is coilbinding.

[veilside180sx]

I actually think what he's hearing is the free floating washer that is allowed to move within the rear upper hat. It's probably clinking on one of the sides as it goes through it's travel.

[Your Mom]

Yup, gimme 2 to 3 weeks to start.

Oh, and I need one of those ka trannies, stat! I will be visiting you this week lol.

Alex

bring your car and a lug nut remover key if you have one! i want to see how those +38 fit.

[Your Mom]

oh yeah with the spaced out wheel i can now lean the bride seat back some and my helmet clears the sun roof and i'm not stressing to hold the wheel. so i'm keeping the seat. which was going to be a factor if i still hit the sunroof.

[e1_griego]

^Fiiiinnnnnnnnnne.

What day/night are you free this week?

And spaced wheel is the way to go!! lol :) Does your car have moonroof? I can't remember.

Alex

[Ronald So]

Checked out the board. Its awesome to find a group of guys that are serious enough to discuss there cars actual ability to perform. Not how to fit 18x10 +0 offset wheels with 205/40/18's on there car

I met you down at portland the 25th. I was driving the S14 with the v8 in it. You looked pretty fast out there. It was a pretty good day, I got bumped to group 3 by the 3rd session. I was stuck in too much traffic the first 2 sessions.
As fun as the straightaway was without the chicane I'd much rather of had the chicane. The second session when i was behind a fast evo he said we were doing 150mph(i was amazed) I kept getting close to the rev limiter every time out in 5th. Then we had the discussion that i'm probably not going that fast (remember our speedometer only goes to 120mph) So i decided to stay into it till I hit it. With all the variables from tires/gearing/etc its 155mph. Way fast. Its time for me to at least have a roll bar. I just hate making it look like a racecar.

Besides that, the track is very smooth. No bumps I can think of, I got a little push on the backside. I'm going to make the switch to sticker tires . My fusion ZRI's isn't cutting it for how i'm driving now.

Wish I had a chance to take a ride in your car. I'd love to feel those shocks. I was considering making custom housings for them a few months back thats why I sounded surprised to hear another Nissan enthusiast as serious as I am about suspension.

-Ronald

[2Fass240us]

...
we were doing 150mph(i was amazed) I kept getting close to the rev limiter every time out in 5th. Then we had the discussion that i'm probably not going that fast (remember our speedometer only goes to 120mph) So i decided to stay into it till I hit it. With all the variables from tires/gearing/etc its 155mph. Way fast. Its time for me to at least have a roll bar. I just hate making it look like a racecar.
It's my opinion that one should have a rollbar even when doing 120. I know it's going to make it suck more as a DD, but I think you should do it.

[Your Mom]

wow 155, thats crazy. i agree with the roll bar i need one too. just not sure which way to go. if you make it down to portland area let me know we'll go for a ride. I'm not that serious about he suspension. Richard is and i just do what he tells me. haha

[McCoy]

Sounds like you had fun, Brian... I still need to attend a track day over there, maybe this year :).

[sr20goofus]

150+ is silly fast. At VIR i get my car up around that area, 6500rpm in 5th ....according to online calcs its 152 i think with my SR.

For anyone that is in group 3, with a car club that allows open passing with a bunch of fast cars on track i HIGHLY suggest 5pnt harnesses and a rollbar. The smallest mistake at the new improved high speeds allow minimal correction time, so safety shoudl be top priority. While i was in HPDE3 with NASA MA last year i felt it was necessary, its a very agressive and fast paced group, NASA is notorious for HDPE 3 being agressive, and i adapted and slowly outgrew it.


Any footage from the track event? in car, or photos?

[Your Mom]

well i guess i was getting closer to 150 too then. I know i started slowing down around 6300 in 5th and if 6500 is 152. wow didn't think i was that fast.

my friend was supposed to lend me his camera and mount but he forgot. so no video. the guy with e46 m3 had a camera, i usually check youtube after a bit and see if someone uploaded anything.

This is not me driving and this is last year (old track). but if you watch i'll pass his slow ass in the back strait. its at 1:23 in the video. its the only video of me on track that i can find. haha
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y3BUsQSpqc4

[Epstein]

What boost level are you running? With your setup and about 18psi, you should be pretty close to 400whp. And at that power level in an S13, you should be able to pass just about anything out there.

Depending on your redline, with those 255/40's and stock rear, 4th gear should be good for about 145mph. When I'm winding out the car, I'm not really looking at the speedo so this is my mental reminder as to how fast the car is going. If you're still pulling in 5th, that's insane! BTW, 5th should be good for about 187mph depending on your rev limit. You only need a long street and 450whp to do this ;).

[Def]

Yea, TWS is like that - it definitely made me start thinking about harnesses and a rollbar when I was topping out 4th and still had another quarter mile or so to pull in 5th. I think I was hitting somewhere in the 140s most times, but hit ~6600 RPM in 5th on 235/40-17s following a fairly modded E46 M3 and a modded 03 Cobra down the straight. Car did not feel good that last few hundred RPM(could definitely feel the rear end lift) and my brakes were cooked, so that was a one time thing.

Your Mom, what are you doing for brakes? Seems like you're moving pretty good, so I'm trying to get some ideas about what works on our cars.

[Your Mom]

hawk blues all around with 300z front and rear, 300z master. want to do 350z fronts, soon.
I feel the rear lifting a bit too, as well as the hood wanting to break free.

A local s14 racer told me he does blues up front and ht10 in the rear.

I'm at about 18psi but not 400whp. just 320whp. horrible boost spike then tapers off to about 16.

[Def]

What's your call on the Blues? Ever had fading/pad transfer? Think it's worth it to pay over double and get some HT-10s and not worry about the demon dust?

[Your Mom]

for me the blues are just too cheap to pass up. can't say i've ever had fading and that maybe cause of the short track i go on with only 2 major braking zones. That and i'm NOT an uber driver. I've found some of the limits but mostly my own limits rather than the car. Going down to reno fernley at the end of the month, i'll be interested to see how they do down there. no pad transfer for me. 1st thing i do when i get home is take the wheels off and clean them. so far no harm done to the rpf1's but i've only done 2 track days with the rpf1's. they ate the **** out of my fno1rc's, the bronze coating just pealed off.
i saw a good bit of dust bedding them in compared to the track day.

[sr20goofus]

hawk blues all around with 300z front and rear, 300z master. want to do 350z fronts, soon.
I feel the rear lifting a bit too, as well as the hood wanting to break free.

A local s14 racer told me he does blues up front and ht10 in the rear.

I'm at about 18psi but not 400whp. just 320whp. horrible boost spike then tapers off to about 16.



i do not suggest upgrading to the 350 rotors. Its a HUGE cost on rotors with minimal bake upgrade. I go through about 1-2 sets of Brembo blank Z32 rotors a season. The 350z rotors are a slight bit bigger, but arnt made out of anything fancy to last longer so you will just be paying out the wazoo for new roots each time.

I have never enjoyed my Hawk pads very much in the past. I do suggest the Carbotech XP8's or XP10's for you guy, great bite and they last a decent bit of time. I run Cpbalt XR2's now, they are very aggressive and are supposed to be abel to last, especially now that i have brake ducting.

[McCoy]

^^^ how much are you getting your Z32 rotors for? I was paying around $70 a set and am able to pick up the Z33 rotors for $110 shipped.

I did upgrade to the Z33 rotors this year and am hoping that by having more thermal mass, and by keeping rotors temps down, that I don't need to upgrade from the cheap hawk blues that I'm currently using to a pad that costs nearly double the price. I'll know more after I've done a few dry track days with temps above freezing :)

Since I drive my car daily, I didn't want to hassle with brake ducting... at least not yet.

[Your Mom]

i do not suggest upgrading to the 350 rotors. Its a HUGE cost on rotors with minimal bake upgrade. I go through about 1-2 sets of Brembo blank Z32 rotors a season. The 350z rotors are a slight bit bigger, but arnt made out of anything fancy to last longer so you will just be paying out the wazoo for new roots each time.

I have never enjoyed my Hawk pads very much in the past. I do suggest the Carbotech XP8's or XP10's for you guy, great bite and they last a decent bit of time. I run Cpbalt XR2's now, they are very aggressive and are supposed to be abel to last, especially now that i have brake ducting.

True the 350z rotors are expensive, but if i can get stopped better without locking up, its cheaper than doing some kind of big brake kit and replacing those pads and rotors. I at least want to try them if they aren't worth it then i'm not out much.

where can i get prices on the carbotechs? searching can't really find anything.

[Your Mom]

last time i bought z32 rears i pretty sure i paid like 40-50 bucks, just cheapo from the auto parts store.

monty you need to hook a brother up. 110 a pair for z33 is exceptible.

[McCoy]

^^^ Ebay is your friend :), check out my 350Z rotor thread and I think I put a link in there for who to purchase from on ebay.

The one time that I was able to get rotors locally, I think I paid around $65 with tax... since then they have not been able to get a set in :(

[a_ahmed]

lol i spent 100 something on rear z32 powerslot rotors two years ago, still lasting me though...

[McCoy]

lol i spent 100 something on rear z32 powerslot rotors two years ago, still lasting me though...
I think I paid $40 shipped for my rear Z32 blank rotors off ebay last year... they should last a few years at the rate there wearing.

[Your Mom]

been searching ebay all the time best i could find was 160 +30 for shipping. everything on there is f u c king drilled and slotted. WTF is up with that. idiots.

[McCoy]

OK, this is who I used. They don't list blank Z33 rotors, but I just emailed them and they gave me a price shipped for blanks... I looked again and I paid $120 shipped.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Nissan-350Z-Track-Ed-w-Brembo-System-Front-D-S-Rotors_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1 247QQcategoryZ33564QQihZ024QQitemZ370005435216QQrd Z1QQsspagenameZWD1V

[a_ahmed]

yea i bought the powerslot stuff when I didnt realize the best thing is a blank cheap quality rotor that can be replaced at a dime :P At least at the time I didn't still believe drilled rotors are cool lol. I wouldn't waste my time with anything but blanks now.. Even though Im going arizona z brakes front and rear (FINALLY he is shipping today, money cleared uff), the best bang for the buck are z32 brakes. If you can get the 30mm calipers and lines for cheap, the rest is just getting cheap rotor blanks and the ocassional obvious fluid and pad changes... I wish I realized that earlier when I was going z32. In fact I think it was 130-140 + shipping and taxes ****... so retarded.

[sr20goofus]

i get a set of front Z32 rotors (Brembo blanks) for $45 shipped, rears i replace once a year, if that. Now all you guys see street and track time, and not as much track time as me, so its a tough comparison still. After 10 events this year in 4 states i will prolly go through at least 2 sets of front rotors, maybe a third just before the season is over.

Pads i get at a discount also. Pricing for the carbotech's can be found another sites, not their site i believe, just call and ask, or email if you really want to know, its been awhile since i ordered carbotech's so i just cant remember how i went about it.

[McCoy]

i get a set of front Z32 rotors (Brembo blanks) for $45 shipped, rears i replace once a year, if that. Now all you guys see street and track time, and not as much track time as me, so its a tough comparison still. After 10 events this year in 4 states i will prolly go through at least 2 sets of front rotors, maybe a third just before the season is over.
I typically run 8-10 track days a year, plus a BMW driving school... of course with our track being shut down till July and our 2nd boy just being born, I'm sure that I'll be lucky if I see 6 days this year :(.

[Def]

I have not been to the track in a year... I'm going through withdrawal... Stupid school...

[turtl631]

Where are you getting pairs of blank fronts for $45 shipped? Shipping rotors alone is like $15-$20 now. Share the love!

[sr20goofus]

sponsor:), i think they will get suspicious when i start ordering 10 sets at a time.

[a_ahmed]

hahahahahahahahaha uuuh "I use them as backups... just in case... u know... uuh.. ya"

[McCoy]

Brian, how did you setup your alignment after getting on the new suspension?

[Your Mom]

man worst question you could ask right now. haha.

OK here goes, fronts are 1.5 deg of camber with no toe. but thats with .65" of movement left in the camber plates up top. so i could just push them in for track days. what ever camber that works out to i don't know.

Now on to the rears. the rear wheels don't fit well in the fenders. i've rolled the lip but i had to run 2.6 degrees of camber in the back to get them to fit. way more that i want to. the alignment guy said i should run some toe with that much camber so the tires wear evenly. toe is set at .33 deg. now the rear tires are shot and the front are still like new. I looked into getting a better offset than +35 but i would have to go to an 8.5" wheel to get +40. so i decided that i would pull the fender a bit and try to get the rear camber at at least 1.5.

the ****ty part (the part that has nothing to do with your question), previously i cut slits in the rear lip to roll it easier. i didn't have a fender roller. so i started rolling the lip with the fender roller and were i had previous cut the slits, the fender has started to rip. i ended up cutting the lip. and now clear coat has cracked and it looks horrible. i should have stopped at one point but....... whatever i'm just really really pissed at myself right now. the wife is pissed at me too.

[sr20goofus]

its nothing that cant be fixed eventually, or hidden with fender flares/overfender.


your car looks great, but everyone makes mistakes, so just deal with it and get to the track :).


i was rolling my rear fenders out and discovered some bondo on teh passenger side....ya it was too late once i found it, it all just proceeded to crack off and cause a HUGE mess, so i just finished rolling the fender, and painted the exposed area with some glosy black paint to try and hide it in the pics...in person its VERY visible.

[Def]

What's the wife pissed at Your Mom?

As for the splits, that sucks, I pulled mine a good bit... probably 50mm or so(fit 275/40-17's on 17x10 +25s without an issue). I consider myself lucky that all I got was the usual pulling dent in the rear upper quarter panel on the passenger side that doesn't want to stay out. I smoothed over the "step" the inner lip made on the pull when I painted the car with Rustoleum(definitely doesn't get me any dorifto points).

If the splits are small you can probably use some bondo/filler on them and then get a respray on each side - not the end of the world.

[Ronald So]

one of the first rear quarters i rolled (my car ofcourse), I was turning the the half moon rucas 180 degrees cause they wern't the right direction, so i thought i 'd take care of this issue while i was rolling the fenders. Drivers side got turned clockwise (threaded in less camber), passanger side turned counter-clockwise (threaded out more camber). I got started by pulling the drivers side, thought it came out good, so I marked a spot on the fender roller to make sure it was even. Began on the passanger side, by this time you know how exhausting this is, I just had one mission. Get the fender roller to that marked line as fast as I could, it was pretty exhausting doing this. By the end, I look up at the quarter panel, it ended up being that one fender was pulled super nice like how I wanted, and the other one got pulled crazy far. Figured, I just deal with it, you only see one side at a time right :cool:

-Ronald

[Your Mom]

yeah it can be fixed, and it will at some point. just kinda ticked at myself.

flares might work, but not sure if i can fill them. i probably could with some 275's.

either way it has caused a new project. which means more stupid money.